Job Discussion Forums

[killian]

i know you care, so i am gonna tell you. just re-did my health this fine day.

got to the hospital. gave them the 1500. gave me an eye check. then hustled over for a chest x-ray. then they took one vial of blood. the nurse got it right the first jab. so far so good.

as is normative, everyone else in processing but me was southeast asian (today was seemingly thai day.) the labor broker pimps lounged and savoured their beetle nut (in the clinic!)while their charges were properly lost.

the staffers can't speak thai. what to do? of course, scream at them in chinese!

the next station was the dreaded "peanut fishing" and urine test. this year the sanitation has really improved. they even had toilet paper. sadly, the bathroom stalls are broom closet sized and hard to manuver within. as one squats and swipes a fecal nugget with the stylus one cannot help but be repelled. in every stall there is a waste paper bin. it is full of the detrius of many previous "fishing expeditions". you would think that someone would realize that all that fecal matter wafting around would not go unchecked in a hospital. wrong. upon exiting the stall of excrement past, the nurse/staffer/herder is exhorting "wei shen me xi shou? (why are you washing your hands?)" funny, wasn't this sars cental 200 days ago? i mererly laughed and washed. the others stopped and scurried away.

on a bright note, in past years the urine tubes were two open ended test tubes. no caps. try leaking and filling two test tubes and then hitching up your britches. get your pants up, one falls. refill.the other falls. ah...the good ol days of yore. seems such zany fun is gone. now, one beaker is flat bottomed! oh, the advances you'll see if you but live long enough. the other is pointy ended but both come with caps.


after swiping and wiping, i queued up with my fellow international laborers for our individual physical examination with a certified doctor. about 30 seconds max. he, using the same gloves he used for at least the 12 souls before me, put his hands to my face and pulled down my eyelids (jaundice check?), looked at my hands, felt the behind the ear lumps, poked me tummy and sent me on my blissful way.


all in all, except the nurse who wouldn't let lavatory users wash their hands and the doctor who didn't find it necessary to change gloves between patients all was well. one just has to HOPE that they change blood needles more frequently than the health care professionals change gloves. in retrospect, she had the needle ready for me. i have no idea if it was fresh or "previously owned".


when next you go,please keep an eye on the needle situation. it is buggin' me

best wishes.

[brian]

Just wanted to reassure those that will be doing a health check in Taipei, that the poop test isn't required. I believe that it may be a requirement for some areas of Taiwan, but luckily enough it isn't required for tests of westerners here in Taipei. Phew!!!

In Taipei, Renai Hospital is probably one of the best places to go as they have a system for the health check all worked out, and the relevant documentation and signage is in English. Other hospitals can handle the tests but sometimes it can be a bit confusing finding your way around and ensuring that you get all of the relevant tests done. Here's a rundown for Ren Ai. Hope it helps.

Ren-ai Hospital
10 Ren-ai Road, Section 4, Taipei
(Near the corner of Ren-ai Road and Fu-hsing South Road)
Subway: Take the Blue or Brown Line to Chunghsiao-Fuhsing Station. Go out Exit 2. Do not cross Chunghsiao Road; walk in the opposite direction along Fuhsing Road until reaching Jen-ai (Ren-ai) Road. Turn left. The hospital is on the right next to the United Airlines building.
Bus: take 36, 37, 41, 74, 226, 261, 263, or 270 and get off either at the Fushing-Jenai Stop for some buses or in front of the hospital for other buses.

Physical Examination Hours:

Weekdays
9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Saturdays
9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Tel: 2709-3600

Although some hospitals claim they can legitimately administer these tests, the Government may reject their results. A passport, 2 passport-sized photos (there is a public photo booth in the physical exam area), and NT$1,130 will be needed.
If you get lost at any time, there is an information desk in the main building straight ahead from the main entrance.
The general physical is in the building behind the main building (the South Building.) Go into the main entrance (the north entrance) of the main building. There are two ways to go to the South Building:
1.) Take a slight right (about 1 o�clock) and follow the signs to the South Building. If the 1st floor exit is closed, take the walkway that connects the two buildings on the second floor directly above the first floor exit.
2.) After entering the main entrance, turn left going through the East Wing and out the East Exit (again, if this exit is closed, take the second floor walkway explained in Step 1), turn right, follow the sidewalk leading to the South Building and go right until you find the entrance.
Go inside and get forms from Counter 1. You need to fill out the three forms and place your two photos on them. When they see a foreign face, they know why you are there and even have a little card in English asking you if you need to be tested for a resident visa. Say, �Yes!� If they don�t offer the card, tell them you want a physical exam for an ARC for a teaching position. The general exam (eye, height, weight, and blood pressure) is in the same building. Turn left into the hallway and the exam area will be on the left. Take a number. Sometimes you may have to take your own blood pressure. Pay at Counter 4 and keep the receipt. Keep the forms and receipt handy going through each step of the exam.
After the general exam, go back to the main building for the urine and blood tests and the X-ray. Take the escalator near the main entrance up to the second floor. At the top of the escalator, walk through the corridor straight ahead of you (about 11 o�clock) and look for the first open area on your left with nurses, a long counter, and lots of plastic chairs (the Office of Outpatient Laboratory). (If you take the elevator or stairs, a sign near the elevators demonstrates the East and West Wings. The Office of Outpatient Laboratory is in the West Wing. There are many signs pointing to the area.) Take a number.
At the right side of the counter, you will be given two small containers for your urine sample and directed to the bathroom. Your sample will be tested for morphine and amphetamines. To avoid having to hang around the hospital toilet all day, it is recommended that you drink a lot of water before arriving at the hospital. Several helpless teachers reported that they were also handed a very complicated plastic contraption and asked to produce a stool sample. This is not necessary; just say �No.�
Go to the left side of the counter for your blood sample.
The chest X-ray is the last stop. Take one of the elevators (or stairs) to the third floor. Again look for the sign near the elevators demonstrating the East and West Wings. The X-ray room is in the East Wing. When you exit the elevator, turn and look for the radiation sign pointing to the X-ray room. Be prepared to remove jewelry and possibly some outer clothing on the upper body and don on a gown. After the X-ray, you are free to continue your life�the medical is over at last.
Keep your receipt. You will need it to pick up your results in 7-10 days from the physical examination area desk where you picked up the forms prior.

Killian, as far as your concerns about the re-use of needles. I am not sure of the situation where you went, but here in Taipei they do open new needle packets each time. There was a scandal on the mainland when I was living there some years ago about a guy who was buying used needles, washing them out in tap water, repackaging them and selling them back to hospitals at a discount price I am sure that this doesn't happen in Taiwan - does it

[Aristotle]

[WorkingVaca]

I'm working in Taipei and have undergone the health check twice. THE STOOL SAMPLE WAS NOT REQUIRED. brian's rundown of the procedure is accurate.

[killian]

for the record, i did the test in sunny, blue sky (for one day at least) southern taoyuan.

[brian]

Aristotle is definitely wrong on this one (as far as Taipei goes anyway). I did have to do a poo test several years ago in Taipei because it was on the form and the doctor in the hospital I went to wanted to conform with the form. I found out at the time that none of my foreign colleagues were doing the test and therefore started going to a different hospital. Anyone who has done a poo test would know just how nasty it is. If asked to do the test in Taipei - politely refuse it.The relevant authorities will not reject your application.

Aristotle - I didnt think that you did the ARC thing. Why are you doing the medical anyway?

Why is the poo test still on the medical form you may ask? Well, I have noticed that foreigners from south east Asian countries as well as the Indian subcontinent are often still required to take the poo test. Westerners seem to be spared the test as the incidence of internal parasites etc. is likely to be less where we come from than others. I am unsure as to whether there are certain countries that are required to take the test, or whether its up to the discretion of the doctor who undertakes the physical.

We are also spared the external genital inspection, even though its on the form. Thats got to be a bonus!

[Okami]

My understanding of the poo test is that it applies to everyone working outside of Taipei city. So if you put your address down as being outside Taipei city, then you get a poo test. If you put an address down as being in Taipei city then no poo test. I've had 3 poo tests at Jenai . The first had the poo test, because my address was in Taipei county, the other 2 didn't have the poo test because my "address" was in Taipei city.

Just my understanding and experience

CYA
Okami

[7969]

then join the army. the things you have to do in such a short period of time would make you happy you only had to do the bare minimum in taiwan.

[killian]

been there, done that. the ol finger wave was not pleasant. however, the military medical folks are nothing if not striving to be hygenic; they are fully cognizant of the hazards of poor hygene in crowded places.

did you get WORSE than the finger wave? what could be worse than the finger wave?

[Aristotle]

[brian]

[Vash]

Uhh...

I think I'll skip Taiwan this go around.

Actually, I just dropped in to say hello. I received some excellent advice from the members of this board and was about to jump on a plane to Taipei, when...

Japan offered me a sweeeeeeeeeeeeet contract.

(Couldn't resist, the J-girls are just too yummy)

Anyway, thanks everyone, take care, and I hope to get to Taiwan eventually.

And now back to the stool samples...



Cheers!
Vash!

[Aristotle]

Not afraid of a little poop test are you?